The present invention relates to eyewear having a unitary lens with two substantially spherical lens regions. The unitary lens is designed to extend around the wearer's eyes throughout a wide range of vision, and to provide improved aerodynamics, aesthetic appearance and eye protection.
Additionally, the invention provides connecting members for connecting temples to a lens and a nosepiece that are suitable for use with the unitary lens.
Eyewear for sports sunglass applications is designed for use during sporting activities such as skiing, biking, speed skating, volleyball, and the like. It is desirable that these types of sunglasses intercept peripheral light, protect the eyes from impact, and offer a comfortable fit.
One type of wrap-around or shield-type eyewear that is currently marketed for sports sunglass applications is characterized by a unitary cylindrical or unitary spherical shaped lens made of a plastic material such as a polycarbonate. However, such sunglasses having a unitary cylindrical or spherical shaped lenses tend not to conform closely to the wearer's head. The geometry of these lenses is defined primarily by a single segment era cylinder, or a single segment era sphere, whereas typical anatomical head shapes are not cylindrical or spherical in shape, particularly across the face. The nonconformity between the lens shape and head and face shape is further complicated by the fact that head and face shapes vary greatly among individual persons. This mismatch may result in eyewear which does not closely and comfortably fit the head of the wearer, resulting in a sacrifice of comfort, aerodynamic shape and protection of the eyes.
Another type of eyewear for sports sunglass applications is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,611 (Burns). This eyewear has a unitary front, molded from a plastic material such as polycarbonate, having a pair of lenses connected by an integral bridge, and includes a separate nosepiece that wraps around the bridge. The lenses have toric inner and outer surfaces and provide a fairly large wrap depth. This eyewear is characterized as avoiding the "bug-eyed" appearance of related eyewear having a pair of spherical lenses connected by an integral bridge, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,449 (Bolle et al.).
However, in the sunglasses disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,741,611 and 3,526,449, a wearer's vision may be blocked by the wrap-around nosepiece, or the bridge may tend to distort vision of the wearer. Further, although the sunglasses disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,611 have a fairly large wrap depth laterally, protection from below or above the eyes is limited.